Five things to watch at Thursday’s city council meetings

The College Station City Council gathers Thursday at city hall for its workshop (6 p.m.) and regular (7 p.m.) meetings. Here are five items to watch:

• Conservationist of the Year: College Station recently was named Conservationist of the Year by the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District for outstanding accomplishments in water conservation achieved through multiple innovative practices. A presentation will occur at the beginning of the regular meeting.
• University Drive/Texas Avenue Intersection Improvements: Redevelopment at the northwest corner of the intersection will require an additional right-turn lane on southbound Texas Avenue, which means other improvements are required, including signal upgrades and relocation, crosswalk modifications and new pedestrian signals. Total construction costs are nearly $353,000, and the developer will reimburse the city $123,660 for its share of the signal improvements.
• Creation of Municipal Utility Districts: A public hearing and possible action will occur regarding a proposed ordinance amendment giving the city council authority to control creation, operation and dissolution of MUDs within the city limits and College Station’s extra-territorial jurisdiction. MUDs may play a significant role in financing, constructing and operating water/wastewater and drainage facilities for the development of land.
• Sign Regulations for Places of Worship: After a public hearing, the council will consider amending the city’s Unified Development Ordinance to allow a freestanding sign for places of worship in residential or rural districts that are along freeways/expressways such as State Highway 6. It also would allow attached signs and commercial banners for places of worship in all zoning districts.
• Comprehensive Plan Five-Year Review: The council is expected to appoint a joint subcommittee to guide the process of identifying successes and shortcomings of the Comprehensive Plan. The group may consider changing conditions and recommend appropriate modifications to find consensus and resolve areas of disagreement.

The meetings can be watched live on Suddenlink Ch. 19, or online. Previous council meetings are archived on the website. A detailed live blog from the meetings will be posted on this site and also can be accessed through the city’s Facebook page.

Related links:

• Complete agendas and supporting materials